Jamie Novak
Do you want to spruce up your kitchen pantry? With this advice from the ultimate storage gurus, you can create a clean and tidy space.
Professional pantry organizing tips
Have you ever wondered how a professional would recommend organizing your pantry? If so, click ahead for these tips from Cori Horsch, buyer for kitchen at The Container Store. She shares how to correct the most common mistakes you might be making.
Mistake: Mixing categories
Grouping like with like in pantry bins is a basic rule of organizing—and one we should all try to follow according to Horsch. Think in terms of broad categories: contain all baking ingredients together and do the same for beverages, breakfast, canned goods, condiments, grains/pasta, and snack foods. That way “when looking for a specific item, you’ll know right where to go to find it,” Horsch explains.
Mistake: Ignoring minor details.
Customers at the Container Store are enamored with Stasher bags, and for good reason. They’re ideal for storing all of the small items that get misplaced in the pantry, such as seasoning packets and small appliance accessories. Use the clear version for simple visibility, or color-code by category.
Mistake: Wasting space
You might be overlooking valuable pantry storage according to Horsch. Maximize every inch by using a shelf expander to add an extra layer of storage to your existing shelf. And solve those awkward corners with a customer favorite, The Home Edit Divided Lazy Susan.
Piling instead of filing is a common blunder.
Stacking things is a bad idea; if you pluck something off the bottom, you risk an avalanche. Dividers can be used to break up the space so that you can easily slide things in and out. Try putting pot and pan lids, baking sheets, food storage containers, and even lunch bags in this manner to save time.
Mistake: assuming what’s inside
Horsch proposes a simple solution to the problem of not knowing what’s inside the storage container: use reusable write-on labels. Better still, she suggests using translucent containers for a clean look and to see what you’re doing. They remove the need to estimate what’s inside and how much is remaining. Are you looking for additional ideas?
Mistake: Not unpacking
Horsch’s habit of opening and dumping could not be simpler or more logical. She suggests creating “reach in bins” for items such as protein bars, chocolate, snacks, and single-serve dishes that are easy to grasp.
Mistake: Choosing the incorrect storage containers
Using the incorrect containers can cost you money, effort, and space. If they aren’t airtight, “like the difficult-to-find ProKeeper,” Horsch warns, “you’ll have to re-buy food that gets stale.” If they are not labeled or see-through, you may overbuy or fail to resupply in time, putting you at risk of running out. And if they don’t stack, you’re squandering precious pantry space.
Mistake: Failure to use a step stool.
According to Horsch, less handy locations, such as a fourth shelf, are “ideal for storing back stock (like those extra boxes of chicken broth) or infrequently used things.” However, you may need to use a step stool to safely access it. She recommends keeping a slim, folding step stool in your pantry to effortlessly access those high places.
Mistake: Forgetting to rotate
You risk forgetting to utilize the cans at the back before they expire if you continually restock with the new in front. Horsch recommends employing a gravity can feeder, which simply fills from the top and dispenses from the bottom. This ensures that you always use your backstock first.
Mistake: Skipping the edit
“Once your pantry is set-up and everything has a place, maintaining it will take minimal effort,” Horsch explains.
